Traditional rulers of Aba na Ohazu, the indigenous people of Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State, on Tuesday decried the wanton vandalism that took place during the recent nationwide #EndSARS protest.
The monarchs together with stakeholder, women leaders, youth leaders toured round the vandalized Government property in the LGA praying and laying curses on the hoodlums who looted and burnt many property including the LGA’s Secretariat.
Chairman, Aba South Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Ibe Enyeazu, (Ogele-Ukwu) of Umuogele Kingdom, said he could not hold his tears when he arrived at the LGA Secretariat and saw how their revered Aba Town Hall was vandalized and burnt.
“Our people are crying. I’m also crying because the disaster that took place in this our Local Government Headquarters is painful. They looted the Chamber of Aba South Council of Traditional Rulers and set everything ablaze.
“Since we were born, we’ve never seen such evil. All the places where protest took place, non witnessed what we’re seeing here.
“This is the handwork of evil people we welcomed in our land. How can people destroy a land that welcomed them in this manner? Any youth involved in this destruction doesn’t want to grow old,” he said.
HRM Eze Monday Ugbor (Eze-Ukwu Omereoha-2 of Aba) said that the level of destruction that happened in Aba South is better imagined than seen.
“Our hearts are burning. We came here with tearful hearts. The entire people of Aba na Ohazu. No other local government was visited the way ours was by this evil.
“Out of the entire country, aside Lagos no place suffered what Aba South recorded. We express our deep concern and we curse those who did this evil.
“If we did this kind of thing in their own areas, God will bless them, but if we didn’t do anything like this in their own areas God will never forgive them.
“Our forefathers accommodated everybody notwithstanding your tribe our religion. We no reason why we should be visited with such a calamity by people we embraced.”
Engr. Obinna Ugboaja, Chairman, Nzuko Aba na Ohazu said they are dismayed by the gruesome destruction, looting and burning down of Aba South LGA Headquarters by some unscrupulous persons who hijacked the peaceful #EndSARS protest on the 21st of October 2020.
“We stand today to warn those who participated in this devilish act in any way to seek foe forgiveness or wait for the punishment due for their actions.
“More so, the perpetrators of this evil must know that such can never be tolerated in our land anymore,” he said.
Nneoma Felicia Ugboaja, President of Aba na Ohazu Women General Assembly described the destruction in Aba South as a terrible act.
“All the property we the indigenous people of Aba Women normally use for our various activities were either looted or burnt. Our musical instruments, our sits, and many materials were all destroyed.
“We’re leaving everything to God and we believe our Governor and our leaders will help us to come out from this challenge. We’ve prayed and we know God will do something.”
A stakeholder, Mazi Francis Uzoma, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Councillorship aspirant for the December 18th Abia LGA election said that acts like vandalism is not the best way for any sane person to express anger.
“I’m a youth, Nigerian youths protested against SARS, but I don’t know how our LGA Secretariat, our Town Hall and other vandalized property had connection with SARS. We’re not happy with what we’re seeing. The situation is very annoying.
“This is one of the reasons I’m into politics. We need to do things right as youths and support our leaders to enable us make proper changes not this level of violence here. What took place here is unacceptable.”
Hon. Chukwudi Dike, representative of Ezumezu-Aba na Ohazu also frowned at the destruction and advised the hoodlums involved to have a rethink and take the path of peace stressing that what was destroyed could be over N1 billion.
